HIS-Press-Service, 1980 (5. évfolyam, 16-18. szám)
1980-11-01 / 18. szám
HIS Press Service No.18, November 1980 Page 9 The leaders of the Polish Church, for example, suffered no less under the persecutions of the national socialists than did the leaders of the first Communist government. The leaders of the Hungarian Church, on the other hand, were supporters of the regime which had governed during the era between the two world wars, whereas the new State leadership was comprised of radical politicians who had returned from Moscow. The clergy of the Polish Church also stood in closer contact with the people than was the case in Hungary. As a result, the Polish episcopacy was supported by a unified mass of faithful, which increased the strength of the College of Bishops in conflicts with State authorities. Another important factor to be remembered is that the Polish bishops supported one another in an exemplary manner, and continue to do so today under the leadership of Cardinal Wysinski, whose name has in recent years become a sign of quality for Church life in Poland. The fact that Hungary's bishops "won" much less as regards freedom of religion and the possibilities and relative freedom which were achieved for the Polish Church - which one might term the "Polish way" - by their Polish counterparts constitutes a significant danger for Hungary's Church, since it is understandable that the Church politics of a socialistic State - irregardless of which country it be - has effects upon the Church politics of all other socialistic countries due to the fact that commonly agreed upon tactics and strategies are followed in developing the relations between Church and State. Furthermore, the members of the Polish episcopacy have often made clear to their Hungarian colleagues that the latter have gone too far in their submissiveness and willingness to compromise. The uncertainty among Hungarian church politicians as a result of the election of Karol Wojtyla as pope stemmed from the consideration that the Holy See might deviate from the "Ostpolitik" practiced up till then and thus consider the "Hungarian way" too as no longer desirable. It was a real possibility that "the Pope coming from the East" - who knew the situation of the Church in the Communist countries - would take a more insistent approach in his demands for freedom of religion. John Paul II, however, is interested - also in the area of "Ostpolitik" - in carrying on that which he inherited from Paul VI (as can be seen too in the designation of Archbishop Casaroli as Cardinal and Secretary of State). Since from the standpoint of the Vatican, however, that which has already been achieved is hardly more than a point of departure in comparison with the goals being aimed for in the area of church politics, the Pope has made an increased effort - i.e., through his unmistakable personal interest - to expand at an increased pace what has already been achieved for Hungary's Church. The three papal letters which were referred to above are an unmistakable witness to this approach.
